Jordan pledges to align national laws with international commitments and expand support to women and girls in many areas (updated)

The Jordanian Government has committed to close the gender equality gap by 2030 through a variety of actions, including intensifying efforts to align national legislation with the Kingdom’s international and regional commitments, in a participatory manner that ensures gender equality and the elimination of violence against women. The Government pledges to accelerate the implementation of resolutions to which it has committed itself before international committees and review relevant national plans and strategies to bring them in line with the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, as well as provide the necessary financial and human resources to carry them out.

Jordan pledges to expand the scope of economic, social, cultural and political support to women and girls, with special emphasis on marginalized adolescents, elderly women, poor or vulnerable women, rural women, women with disabilities, female refugees, displaced women and survivors of gender-based violence. It will address social norms and stereotypes that instill discrimination against women through education, cultural and media productions that promote positive roles of women as active partners in sustainable development and community building.

The Kingdom will also: adopt policies that support women’s access to leadership positions and participation in all levels of decision-making; empower the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) as a national mechanism in order to be able to carry out its mandate; as well as supporting and facilitating the work of civil society organizations, offering protection and social, economic and legal empowerment services to women throughout the country, including refugee camps and host communities.

Jordan further commits to enhance women’s access to justice and promote gender sensitization among judges in regular and Shari’a courts, general prosecutors and judicial police; and to accelerate the adoption of a national action plan to implement Security Council’s resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and all subsequent resolutions. [ Commitment (Arabic and English) ]

Developments since Jordan’s commitment

In order to implement the commitments made at the Global Leaders’ Meeting, the Government of Jordan is revising its National Strategy for Women (2013–2017) to reflect Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and had also adopted the National Plan for Human Rights.

Jordan is reforming its education curricula to change social norms that discriminate against women.

In the past year, Jordan has increased the budget allocated to the Jordan National Commission for Women (JNCW).

The New Electoral Law assigned 15 seats for women (11.5 per cent of parliament seats); a seat for each municipality including three assigned for Bedouins. Recent parliamentary elections on 20 September 2016 saw the election of 20 women—an increased representation from 12 per cent to 15.4 per cent—and saw the election of women outside the set quota.

Jordan completed its National Strategy draft to implement UN Security Council resolution 1325, expected to be adopted by the end of 2016, and has assigned the necessary funds towards its enforcement. In regards to the Syrian refugee crisis, the Ministry of Interior/Syrian Refugees Affairs Directorate is working on developing all sectors that host the 1.4 million Syrians.

Jordanian institutions, civil society and relevant international bodies, continue to provide services for survivors of violence and continue to raise awareness. [ Full update: Arabic, English ]